50 GK Questions on Ancient Civilizations with Answers (India + World)

Ancient civilizations laid the foundations of modern society with innovations in writing, law, architecture, and governance. From Mesopotamia’s ziggurats to the Indus Valley’s urban planning, and from Egypt’s pyramids to China’s dynastic empires, their legacies endure. This 50-question interactive quiz covers key facts about ancient cultures of India and the world—perfect for students and history buffs!

50 GK Questions on Ancient Civilizations of the World with Answers

1. Which river valley is associated with the earliest known civilization?

• A. Nile
• B. Indus
• C. Amazon
• D. Mississippi

2. The Epic of Gilgamesh originated in which ancient civilization?

• A. Sumer
• B. Hittite
• C. Egyptian
• D. Roman

3. The Great Pyramid of Giza was built for which pharaoh?

• A. Ramses II
• B. Akhenaten
• C. Khufu
• D. Tutankhamun

4. Which writing system was used by ancient Egyptians?

• A. Cuneiform
• B. Latin script
• C. Sanskrit
• D. Hieroglyphs

5. The Code of Hammurabi is associated with which empire?

• A. Akkadian
• B. Babylonian
• C. Persian
• D. Assyrian

6. Which ancient city was known as the “White City” in the Mayan civilization?

• A. Chichén Itzá
• B. Palenque
• C. Uxmal
• D. Tikal

7. The Ziggurat of Ur is located in modern-day which country?

• A. Iraq
• B. Iran
• C. Syria
• D. Turkey

8. Which group built Machu Picchu?

• A. Aztecs
• B. Mayans
• C. Olmecs
• D. Incas

Ancient Indian History Questions and Answers for Exams

9. Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro belonged to which civilization?

• A. Gupta
• B. Maurya
• C. Indus Valley
• D. Vedic

10. The script used by the Indus Valley Civilization is called:

• A. Brahmi
• B. Devanagari
• C. Kharosthi
• D. Harappan

11. Which ancient Indian text mentions the river Sarasvati?

• A. Arthashastra
• B. Mahabharata
• C. Ramayana
• D. Rigveda

12. The Great Bath is an archaeological feature at:

• A. Lothal
• B. Mohenjo-Daro
• C. Dholavira
• D. Harappa

13. Which metal were Indus Valley people among the first to work with?

• A. Iron
• B. Bronze
• C. Copper
• D. Gold

14. The Lion Capital of Ashoka was originally erected at:

• A. Sarnath
• B. Pataliputra
• C. Taxila
• D. Kalinga

15. Ashoka’s Kalinga Rock Edict commemorates which event?

• A. Coronation
• B. Treaty signing
• C. Birth
• D. Kalinga War

General Knowledge Quiz on Early Civilizations and Ancient Cultures

16. Which civilization built the city of Teotihuacan?

• A. Maya
• B. Unknown (Pre-Aztec)
• C. Olmec
• D. Toltec

17. Knossos Palace is associated with which ancient culture?

• A. Mycenaean
• B. Egyptian
• C. Minoan
• D. Persian

18. The oracle at Delphi was in which ancient civilization?

• A. Greek
• B. Roman
• C. Etruscan
• D. Phoenician

19. The Phoenicians were famous for developing:

• A. Architecture
• B. Mathematics
• C. Papyrus
• D. Alphabetic script

20. Which ancient city-state was ruled by Solon?

• A. Sparta
• B. Athens
• C. Corinth
• D. Thebes

Indian History MCQs: Ancient Period GK for Class 6-10

21. The Vedic Aryans composed the Rigveda around:

• A. 500 BCE
• B. 1000 BCE
• C. 1500 BCE
• D. 2000 BCE

22. The Vedic fire altar is called:

• A. Agni Kund
• B. Yagna Shala
• C. Vedi
• D. Homa

23. Which metal tool appears in the Late Vedic period?

• A. Iron swords
• B. Bronze axes
• C. Gold ornaments
• D. Iron ploughshares

24. The university at Takshashila was founded by:

• A. Ashoka
• B. Bharata
• C. Chandragupta
• D. Harsha

25. Which dynasty succeeded the Mauryas?

• A. Gupta
• B. Chola
• C. Sunga
• D. Pallava

History GK Quiz on Ancient India and World Civilizations

26. The Colosseum was constructed during which empire?

• A. Byzantine
• B. Roman
• C. Ottoman
• D. Persian

27. The Library of Alexandria was in which country?

• A. Greece
• B. Italy
• C. Turkey
• D. Egypt

28. Which ancient Greek philosopher taught Alexander the Great?

• A. Aristotle
• B. Plato
• C. Socrates
• D. Epicurus

29. Which Mauryan emperor converted to Buddhism after the Kalinga War?

• A. Bindusara
• B. Chandragupta
• C. Ashoka
• D. Samudragupta

30. The Parthenon temple is dedicated to which deity?

• A. Zeus
• B. Athena
• C. Apollo
• D. Hera

Top Ancient Civilizations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus, China Quiz

31. The Yellow River is also called:

• A. Blue River
• B. Yangtze
• C. Huang He
• D. Mekong

32. The Terracotta Army was built for which emperor?

• A. Qin Shi Huang
• B. Han Wudi
• C. Tang Taizong
• D. Wu Zetian

33. Which civilization invented papyrus?

• A. Mesopotamian
• B. Egyptian
• C. Indus Valley
• D. Chinese

34. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built by:

• A. Sargon
• B. Hammurabi
• C. Nebuchadnezzar I
• D. Nebuchadnezzar II

35. China’s first dynasty according to legend is:

• A. Zhou
• B. Xia
• C. Shang
• D. Qin

36. Which ancient city was a major center of the Harappan civilization?

• A. Harappa
• B. Varanasi
• C. Pataliputra
• D. Taxila

37. Which Sumerian invention revolutionized agriculture?

• A. Plowshare
• B. Irrigation canals
• C. Wheel
• D. Sundial

38. The Book of the Dead is a text from which culture?

• A. Greek
• B. Roman
• C. Mesopotamian
• D. Egyptian

39. Which Chinese invention helped with record-keeping in the Shang dynasty?

• A. Paper
• B. Oracle bones
• C. Silk
• D. Compass

40. The Sumerians built their cities around large temple complexes called:

• A. Ziggurats
• B. Pyramids
• C. Stupas
• D. Temples

41. Which Mesopotamian king built the Ishtar Gate?

• A. Hammurabi
• B. Sargon
• C. Nebuchadnezzar II
• D. Ashurbanipal

42. Which script was used in ancient Persia?

• A. Hieroglyphs
• B. Cuneiform
• C. Sanskrit
• D. Old Persian cuneiform

43. The archaeological site of Petra was in which ancient kingdom?

• A. Nabataean
• B. Hittite
• C. Assyrian
• D. Babylonian

44. Which city is called the “Eternal City” of ancient times?

• A. Athens
• B. Rome
• C. Thebes
• D. Jerusalem

45. Which civilization built the Great Bath?

• A. Egyptian
• B. Babylonian
• C. Indus Valley
• D. Mayan

46. The Parthian Empire was centered in which region?

• A. Anatolia
• B. Iran
• C. Egypt
• D. India

47. Which culture built the temple complex at Karnak?

• A. Egyptian
• B. Greek
• C. Roman
• D. Persian

48. The Phoenician city of Carthage was located in modern-day:

• A. Spain
• B. Italy
• C. Tunisia
• D. Libya

49. Which ancient culture built cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde?

• A. Anasazi
• B. Pueblo
• C. Navajo
• D. Ancestral Puebloans

50. The Oracle at Dodona was sacred to which Greek god?

• A. Zeus
• B. Zeus
• C. Apollo
• D. Athena